The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-04-18

Monday morning came again; but
the sport OF Saturday seemed to have
fallen like sparks OF finder on the
heroic spirits thirsting for fray.
"Now, boys" said the Squire's son,
"it's time to settle q few things: Are
we Elm Tree boys going under. or
are going skating again this alter
noon?"
A shout OF applause followed, and
Hal went on. The master always sat
absorbed in law books through the
intermission, the keys could be turned
on the outsid3 in O flash, the heavy
wooden shutters pushed over the win
dows, and there would be an after
noon for the ice, and one for the mas
ter to learn lessons in the dark. Hand
pledging began again, but there was
once more gnat to the lion; the slack
trousers stood motionless againl
Sans eyes blazed, but Hal slowly I'M
rolled bundle and held something
glittering and dangling before Gallows-
es' face. With great bound Gallows-
es' heart leaped up and the brown eyes
shone like stars. "For me?" but Hal
drew the prize away Hold onl Just
give us your hand you won't NEEDLE
with our lookup firstl"
Miss Judy's boy started back.
Was this quick, sharp.shooting pain
what people call disappointment?
He hadn't been used to expecting
things and he had not known.
"Don't, Hall Don't show them to
mel emit promisel You know /
can't"
'Look here, Gallowses, don't be a
fool! Didn't Sam let you have enough
the other timer"
The Elm Tree school sat that morn
ing with flashes and mutterings like
o suppressed volcano, and Miss Pop
hurst swayed in her chair with short
crispy little creaks. She had been
thinking about something ever since
Saturday afternoon, and at last she
sprang suddenly up.
"What difference does it make to
Tom? Perhaps he'll be glad!' and
once more the attic boards creaked,
and when Miss Judith took her seat
again she had little bundle softly by
her side. The old clock licked slowly
on, but the latch lifted at last, and
Miss Judith raised the bundle from
the floor.
"See if those skates will fityou; they
might be worn as to rust, l suppose"
she said.
That visit to the trunk haunted
Miss Pophurst after Gallowses was
asleep, and at last she stole silently
into his room, but before she reached
the bedside she stood transfixed.
"Good landl il the child amt hugging
close to Toms skates yet! And that
other things under his cheek again,
and | do believe he's been cryingl
Why, what ails the boy? And the
SHOWS coming down now at n rate
that'll put that ll-pond out OF sight
for one while!'
And so it did, and the life went out
OF the skates and the lookup plan al
together; the heroic spirits dropped
and quite settled in under the school
room for the next two weeks. The
holidays were coming so near that
perhaps it was as well to let them
come peacefully, after all. Thanks
giving bay astonished every one with
an unprecedented thaw and rain that
turned the snow-covered pond into an
oozy surface, black as ink; and though
Miss Pophurst had q chicken and q
little bali OF plumb pudding for dinner,
there was no getting out, and still less
OF the merry making and gay company
Gallowses had heard all the boys
promise themselves; and he hid away
in bed at last. thankful that the day
was done; how should he live through
whole week like that when Christ
mas came?
But before Christmas came the
world seemed to be in an altogether
different mood. The sunset skies turn
cd yellow as gold, and the purple
hills stood sharp and almost black
against them in the frosty air; the
nights grew singing and clear, and at
| last, as Christmas eve itself set in, q
north wind whirled down OF the glow
ering pond, and when morning dawn
ed, as Deacon Burberry assured the
boys, Pharaoh and all his host
might feel free to march acrost."
Whittier had all sorrowful memo
ries fled away, that wild joyful Christ
mas afternoon? Faster and faster
flowed the warm, eager blood through
his veins; had he ever been miserablel
Had he ever sobbed himself to sleer
in world where skates and skating
grounds were found2
On flew the hours; what did make
cutting letters so very hardY Over and
over the "P" he was determined to cut
Gallowses went, too busy TO notice
that one by one the boys had slipped
away toward the cove above, for fresh
ice; for the black face OF the.pond wa:
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